ountry pretty well. Its forests
harbor many ferocious beasts."

They were glad the Cowardly Lion was to join them, and in good spirits
the entire party formed a procession and marched out of the Emerald
City amid the shouts of the people, who wished them success and a safe
return with their beloved Ruler.

They followed a different route from that taken by Ozma and Dorothy,
for they went through the Winkie Country and up north toward Oogaboo.
But before they got there they swerved to the left and entered the
Great Gillikin Forest, the nearest thing to a wilderness in all Oz.
Even the Cowardly Lion had to admit that certain parts of this forest
were unknown to him, although he had often wandered among the trees,
and the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman, who were great travelers, never had
been there at all.

The forest was only reached after a tedious tramp, for some of the
Rescue Expedition were quite awkward on their feet. The Patchwork Girl
was as light as a feather and very spry; the Tin Woodman covered the
ground as easily as Uncle Henry and the Wizard; but Tik-Tok moved
slowly and the slightest obstruction in the road would halt him until
the others cleared it away. Then, too, Tik-Tok's machinery kept running
down, so Betsy and Trot took turns in winding it up.

The Scarecrow was more clumsy but less bother, for although he often
stumbled and fell he could scramble up again and a little patting of
his straw-stuffed body would put him in good shape again.

Another awkward one was Jack Pumpkinhead, for walking would jar his
head around on his neck and then he would be likely to go in the wrong
direction. But the Frogman took Jack's arm and then he followed the
path more easily.

Cap'n Bill's wooden leg didn't prevent him from keeping up with the
others and the old sailor could walk as far as any of them.

When they entered the forest the Cowardly Lion took the lead. There was
no path here for men, but many beasts had made paths of their own which
only the eyes of the Lion, practiced in woodcraft, could discern. So he
stalked ahead and wound his way in and out, the others following in
single file, Glinda being next to the Lion.

There are dangers in the forest, of course, but as the huge Lion headed
the party he kept the wild denizens of the wilderness from bothering
the travelers. Once, to be sure, an enormous leopard sprang upon the
Glass Cat and caught her in his powerful jaws, but he broke several of
his teeth